In particular in the production of fiber composite components, which are generally produced from a fiber material which is embedded in a thermally cured matrix material, the (dry or preimpregnated) semifinished fiber products are often introduced into a molding tool which has at least partially the subsequent component geometry. The semifinished fiber product preform (also known as fiber preform) produced in the process then usually has a near-net-shape component geometry, such that the fiber composite component can be produced by curing the matrix material (for example thermoplastic or thermosetting matrix systems).
In the production of such semifinished fiber product preforms, a plurality of semifinished fiber product layers are often laid on top of one another in the molding tool in order in this way to already achieve the necessary component thickness in the preform. In this case, there is a need to automate this process step of the production of the semifinished fiber product preform as much as possible, in order to be able to produce such a preform as quickly and reliably as possible in an industrial context.
Semifinished fiber products within the meaning of the present invention can be for example UD fiber tapes, woven fabrics, laid fabrics, dry binder-coated carbon fibers and prepregs (thermosetting and thermoplastic prepregs) or other electrically conductive fibers or fibers having electrically conductive additives (e.g. glass fiber prepregs having nano additives).
DE 10 2012 019 915 A1 discloses a method for providing a fiber preform for producing a fiber composite component and also a transport device for a fiber material blank, in which the fiber material to be transported is clamped in a transport device and energized during transport to a molding tool, in order to already control its temperature during transport. As a result, in particular the drapability of the fiber material blank to be transported is intended to be improved.
DE 103 53 070 A1 discloses a method and an apparatus for binder activation on semifinished fiber products, in which electrical contacts are arranged on the semifinished fiber product or the preform, such that a current flow is brought about in the preform, resulting in the temperature of the preform being controlled and thus in binder activation.
WO 2014/033021 A2 discloses a gripping apparatus which has an electro-adhesive gripping device by way of which the semifinished fiber products to be transported can be picked up and transported by means of an adhesion force. The gripping face of the electro-adhesive gripping device is in this case configured at least partially in a deformable manner such that it can adapt to the corresponding final contours of the materials to be transported.
However, the grippers based on the adhesion principle have the disadvantage that the detachment of the usually flexible textile materials often takes some time, and so it is possible to travel at only very low laying speeds here. Furthermore, in a multiplicity of semifinished fiber product layers to be deposited on top of one another, the correct arrangement of the individual layers within the preform can no longer be ensured in a reliable manner, since material displacements can occur during the deposition operation or the operation of detachment from the gripping face.